1. Escrow is opened. This blog post aims to unravel the legal intricacies and potential consequences of backing out of an escrow contract in California's real estate market.This article explains how to understand the California home buying escrow process. Focusing on the California home buyer during the escrow process. Similarly, in a real estate transaction, when a buyer and seller negotiate a credit at the outset of a transaction, which is usually reflected in the. The buyer and seller agree to an escrow timeline during contract negotiations, and each sale varies, but normally escrow takes around 30 to 60 days to close. It is when the seller, buyer, and other necessary parties gather to close the deal. How the California escrow process looks. 1. Before escrow can close, the buyer must review and sign all loan documents received from the lender. This is often done at an appointment set up with the.